The World of the Early Middle Ages

Course goals

This course introduces the world of the early Middle Ages. It asks where it differs from the world of Antiquity of the Later medieval period. Student will learn to assess relevant scholarly literature and to study independently primary sources, either written or material ones (archaeology). Students will develop their skills in presenting results in written and oral form.

Content

In this second course for the minor 'Middle Ages' student will concentrate on the culture of the earlier period of the Middle ages from ca. 400 up to the year 1000. We will be looking at the dynamics between rulers and religious authority, that had a strong impact on the ways in which religion and learning developed in this period. We will also see what Christianity meant in this period. How it affected people's  lives, the way they coped with adversity and how it influenced their expectations for the future, here and in the hereafter.The question how far in this period we can see a continuation of cultural patterns from (Late) Antiquity and in how far it created something new will be addressed, just as the breaks and continuities with the later (medieval) period. 

LAS and TCS students who follow this course as part of the core curriculum of their major, need to complete a compulsory preparation course/assignment. See for more information: https://tcs.sites.uu.nl/

 

Additional information

This course is part of the minor The Middle Ages.

Early Exit option for international exchange students (5 ECTS)
Exchange students who are required to return to their home university before January, are allowed to choose an Early Exit option for this course. The Early Exit option means that students can finish the course before Christmas break, receiving 5 ECTS for the course. Students must make arrangements with the course coordinator at the start of the course.